Herman Beavers is Professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches African American literature and poetry writing. He is the author (or co-editor) of six books, the latest of which is The Vernell Poems (Moonstone Press). He lives in New Jersey with his wife and two children.
1
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
piety, a curious juxtaposition,
recollections in shallow depth of field
photograph: glissando of a smile
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
the two of uspoised in belated grace
the clamorous pull of brightness
dragged round the moon’s dark side
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
2
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
the clamorous pull of brightness
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
recollections in shallow depth of field
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
piety, a curious juxtaposition
photograph: glissando of a smile
the two of us poised in belated grace
dragged round the moon’s dark side
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
3
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
the clamorous pull of brightness
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
recollections in shallow depth of field
dragged round the moon’s dark side
photograph: glissando of a smile
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
piety, a curious juxtaposition
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
the two of us poised in belated grace
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
4
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
the clamorous pull of brightness
recollections in shallow depth of field
dragged round the moon’s dark side
piety, a curious juxtaposition
photograph: glissando of a smile
the two of us poised in belated grace
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
5
piety, a curious juxtaposition
photograph: glissando of a smile
the two of us poised in belated grace
dragged round the moon’s dark side
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
the clamorous pull of brightness
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
recollections in shallow depth of field
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
6
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
dragged round the moon’s dark side
the two of us poised in belated grace
photograph: glissando of a smile
piety: a curious juxtaposition
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
recollections in shallow depth of field
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
the clamorous pull of brightness
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
7
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
the clamorous pull of brightness
dragged round the moon’s dark side
the two of us poised in belated grace
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
recollections in shallow depth of field
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
photograph: glissando of a smile
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
piety, a curious juxtaposition
8
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
piety, a curious juxtaposition,
photograph: glissando of a smile
dragged round the moon’s dark side
recollections in shallow depth of field
the two of us poised in belated grace
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
the clamorous pull of brightness
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
9
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
recollections in shallow depth of field
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
the clamorous pull of brightness
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
dragged round the moon’s dark side
the two of us poised in belated grace
photograph: glissando of a smile
piety, a curious juxtaposition
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
10
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
piety, a curious juxtaposition
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
recollections in shallow depth of field
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
photograph: glissando of a smile
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
the two of us poised in belated grace
dragged round the moon’s dark side
the clamorous pull of brightness
11
the clamorous pull of brightness
the two of us poised in belated grace
dragged round the moon’s dark side
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
photograph: glissando of a smile
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
chords bruising the air, men cutting stone
recollections in shallow depth of field
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
piety, a curious juxtaposition
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
12
the clamorous pull of brightness
the two of us poised in belated grace
chords bruise the air, men cutting stone
recollections in shallow depth of field
heartbreak penciled in the sky’s tacit fakebook
thrill’s nomadic light, caricature of the spy
eyes cast up Front Street, murmuring a tune
photograph: glissando of a smile
blue throb of mo(u)rning, a vast telling
dragged round the moon’s dark side
handing ice to angels, one ache at a time
shedding sad names, together we go ghost
piety, a curious juxtaposition
one man, his saxophone; persuasion—
the circle’s lustrous brass
for Odean Pope
